Change Timing Belt Based on Age Alone?

I have a 2000 Tundra with <15k miles. The truck appears to have been garage kept the entire time. My question is, should I go ahead and change the timing belt? All the hoses and everything appear supple, so it may have been a humidity controlled garage. Nothing looks dryrotted or anything. Would not want the belt to fail prematurely.

Along those same lines, what all maintenance items should be done to an older truck with low mileage? I changed the spark plugs and oil already. The accessory belt looks fine and is taut. It is a 2wd model. Rear differential fluid? Transmission fluid looks clean.

 

only 15 thousand miles?? i thought it was 90k to change the timing belt.?

 

Yes he’s asking should he go ahead and change based on the fact that it’s a 19 year old truck

 

It’s cheap insurance. I would definitely get it done.

 

I would go ahead and do the timing belt and water pump. Make sure you order the Aisin kit.

I'm starting to think time is as much of a factor as miles for a lot of issues. I would definitely change all the fluids too. They just break down over time. I would also grease anything that needs it like the U Joints. Anything that would benefit from a grease rub.


Check out this thread,

https://www.tundras.com/threads/good-timing.44301/

 

Also, you've got to tell us the story of how you found a first gen with less than 15k miles.

 

Yes, service manual recommends 90k or 9 years.

 

IMO, time is not a factor in lubricant life. I wouldn't do any lubricant maintenance until the miles have clocked off. Changing spark plugs was probably unnecessary.

Changing the engine oil on a newly purchased vehicle is always a good idea if (1) it appears used, and (2) you have no idea when it was changed last. Another good maintenance idea is to flush and bleed the brake system, repeating every three years afterward. Coolant system flush and refill may also be a good idea, since coolant corrosion inhibitors do have a finite life; repeat every five years.

Now the difficult questions. Wear and tear on under-hood rubber hoses and belts is more a function of heat cycles and revolutions turned. My experience with Toyota belts and hoses in years/miles has been excellent, and I wouldn't change any of those in your position, but I tend to run belts and hoses to failure. There is some risk of being stranded on the side of the road, but probability of collateral damage is low if you don't push it beyond failure. If you are taking the truck on a long trip where being stranded could become VERY expensive, you may want to to change them to be safe.

Timing Belt: That one is tough because risk of extreme collateral damage is very high on an interference engine. No one can make that decision for you, and should be hesitant to even advise you to NOT change the timing belt. The factors affecting exposed rubber life are ultra-violet light and ozone. Ozone is almost non-existent naturally, and the timing belt is in absolute darkness behind a timing cover. Because the truck was garaged, I expect you found the tires in near new condition except for the wear miles; my experience has been that tire deterioration by UV (checking) is virtually non-existent on a garaged, seldom-used vehicle. Perhaps the thinking of heat cycles and revolutions would apply for the timing belt as well. OTOH...changing the timing belt would be CHEAP insurance against severe engine damage. I don't know what I would do in your position; probably choose the "safety" option.

 

At 15K, It should look like new..Just drive it.
Post some pictures.

My 2002 Tacoma has 310K. Everything is original. I know because I bought it new.

 

My Tacoma (2002) was 16 years old when I changed the timing belt and all other belts and hoses. I had 100k miles on it. All the belts and hoses were severely dry rotted. I could not see the timing belt though because of the cover over it, so I assumed based on the condition of everything else it would have been similar condition. The technician then told me that it actually wasn't too bad - because of the cover it is not exposed to the same elements, and the timing belt is a little thicker and better quality than the serpentine belt. Nevertheless, I would replace all belts and hoses just because of the age. Timing belt change is expensive, but everything else needs to be removed anyway to get to the timing belt, so you pay for material only - no additional labor charge. Serpentine belt and hoses were pocket change to add.

 

I'd change it for piece of mind, chances are it's fine but it would suck if it broke.

 

If you ask then >>>>> you change it. Gives you finite peace of mind.

Kinda like "should I have phvcked that blonde I met at the super bowl party 3 years ago at Gary's house?" Horrid rest of your life.

 

I went ahead and bought the Aisin kit to change this out. Buying peace of mind and correct maintenance is always good.

 

I replaced the radiator 2 months ago on my 01. Bottom header leaked. 110, miles. I’m going to do the cam belt and water pump this summer.

 

Yeah, this! Welcome from SoCal!

 

Nothing too exciting, just found a good auction. Flew out to Dallas to pick her up and drove it all the way home in eastern TN.

Gonna save a little money and invest in some Bilstein fronts, rear sway bar and front brake upgrade in the future.

 

That's wild. Maybe an older person that bought it and then just didn't drive it for 19 years? Hard to imagine only putting 800 miles/year on a vehicle.

 

According to the dealer I got it from it was in some guy's vacation-home garage in Colorado along with about 7 other vehicles.

 

Toyota says every 90K miles or 72 months for your truck...I bought my 1-owner 2006, 85K miles with meticulous records recently, but the timing belt/water pump had not been done...so it went over double the time and almost hit the mileage mark. I had it done shortly after buying it. Personally, if it doesn't hit the mileage and with current belt material quality, I'd go 8-10 years...but I wouldn't go 13 (like mine) or 19 (like yours) without changing it...no matter the mileage...the risk reward on a nearly perfect Tundra like yours is just not worth trying to eek out a few more bucks by delaying it. I'm also curious what you paid for something like that such low mileage?



https://www.toyota.com/t3Portal/document/omms-s/SMG100_MS0001/pdf/2000_Toyota_SMG_PDF.pdf

 

Interesting I wonder why they changed the schedule. This is for 04.

 

My best guess would be improvements in belt material quality l.... I pretty sure Toyota changed the timing belt interval in early 3.4 V6s from 60K (96-97) miles to 90K miles on later iterations (98' -2002') and it was the same exact engine...for the same reason I suppose.

 

Ahhh, my old Ford 300 six, had a gear driven camshaft. My 2001 Tundra, I changed the timing belt out along with the h2o pump at around 78K miles, quite a few years ago. I won't do it again until 150K miles, no matter the time interval. Chunk.

 

That ford 300 straight six is one of the all-time great truck motors...hell, one of the all time great motors period.

 

This^

The peace of mind is priceless. First thing I purchased for my gen 1 was the timing belt kit, even though it looked to be good.

 

I went ahead and changed out the water pump and timing belt. Much more work than changing a timing belt on a 2000 Camry, but with all the practice I have now I could probably do it in half the time. Didn't have an impact wrench or the like so I did the starter bump method to loosen it and to torque it down I used a Grade 8 bolt and a chain around the frame. Wrapped a few towels around the frame so as not to scratch it.

One of the hardest bits was taking the bolt out that held the AC compressor in place. The electrical bracket right in front of the bolt did not want to give up that phillips/4-way screw.

 

Is that engine a interference engine?

When we gave our old '02 Trooper to some friends I told them it was due for a timing belt change. 240k miles and it was still on the original belt (non-interference engine), water pump too.

 

Technically I think it’s 6 years or 90k for a t-belt. It is made of rubber so it can dry out. Cheap insurance to replace it. If it snaps your buying an engine


Also, 15k miles. Damn that’s awesome